Aeroplane



L. D. MOSS April 29, 1930.

AEROPLANE HHNHUUIII nu Patented Apr. 29, 1930 LEROY DAVID moss, or BELorr, musas AROPLANE Application nled Hay 8,

This invention relates to aeroplanes and more particularly to a control means for promoting lateral stability.

An important object of the invention 1s to produce a device of this character which is entirely automatic in its operation and which, in event of side slip or skid ouf the plane in either direction, will automatically shift the ailerons or other banking controls to oset this motion.

A further and more specific object of the invention is to provide a stabilizer vane which, when the plane moves out of its ordinary or longitudinal line of travel, is deected by the change in wind pressure and by its deflection shifts the banking controls to automatically place the aeroplane upon an angle such that it will resist further movement in said direction.

These and other objects I attain by the construction shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention and wherein Figure 1 is a plan view of an aeroplane equipped with stabilizing controls. constructed in accordance with my invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof;

Figure 3 is a rear elevation thereof;

Figure 4 is a section on the line 4 4 of Figure 3.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration I have illustrated an aeroplane, the banking controls of which consist simply of ailerons disposed in recesses in the trailing edge of the upper wing section 11, the numeral 12 designates a strut or other support rigid to the plane section 11 and provided adjacent thereto with vertically spaced bearings 13 which are preferably substantially vertically aligned. These bearings receive a rod or shaft 14 to which, between the bearings is secured a vane 15 extending rearwardi ly from the strut or support 12. This shaft has at one end an angular crank arm 16 which, through a link 17, is connected to a support or arm 18 rigidly connected to the aileron 10. The connections between the link and the arm 16 and support 18 are universal,

1928. Serial No. 276,145.

and it vwill be obvious that as the vane is deiiected to one side or the other of its normal position, the aileron will be elevated or depressed, dependent upon the direction of deilection. It will also be obvious that during normal or longitudinal flight, the wind resistance encountered by the sides of the vane 15 will hold the same in parallelism to the longi tudinal axis of the aeroplane but in event of side slip or skid so that the angle of movement of the vehicle is at an angle to the axis, the vane 15 will assume an angle longitudinal to the direction of movement, with the result that the aileron will either be elevated or depressed.

The ailerons at opposite ends of the wing surface are oppositely connected with their operating vanes 15, with the result that these ailerons will be oppositely shifted with a change of the direction of movement of the plane which results from the side slip. Proper connections having been made, the aileron at the side toward which the slip is occurring will be depressed while the other aileron is lifted.

It will be obvious that a device of this character will cause proper banking of the aeroplane while the plane is executing turns without any action on the part of the aviator and it will likewise maintain lateral stability both in straight iiight and when making turns, thus overcoming any tendency of the plane to get into a spin Such a device may be employed entirely automatically or may be used in conjunction with the regular aileron controls operated by the pilot.

Since the construction hereinbefore set forth is capable of a certain range of change and modification without materially departing from the spirit of the invention, I do not limit myself to such specific structure except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim In an aeroplane, a wing having recesses in the trailing edge thereof, an aileron arranged in said recesses and pivoted to the wing, arms extending downwardly from the ailerons, supports located below and rigid with respect to the wing, vertical shafts rotatably connected to the rear sides of the supports and provided at their upper ends with arms, links connecting the arms of the ailerons and the arms of the shaft, and vertical vanes xedly secured to and extending rearwardly from the shafts.

In testimony whereof I hereunto ax my signature.

LEROY DAVID MOSS. 

